The field of the invention is special receptacles or packages and the present invention is particularly concerned with food containers and holders for food eaten with a bun such as hamburgers, hot dogs and fish sticks.
The state of the art of these food container/holders may be ascertained by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,915,214; 3,220,544; 3,227,308; 3,876,130 and 4,189,054, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein.
It is a common experience in America to purchase and eat from fast food restaurants and the dispensing of hot dogs, hamburgers, fish sticks and other sandwiches has become a major consumer industry.
These fast foods have been dispersed in paper bags, napkins, cardboard containers and plastic film. Now there is a trend to dispensing fast foods in foamed plastic containers such as foamed polyurethane and polystyrene containers.
The advantages of such foamed plastic food containers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,130 are: permeable or ventilated packaging, protection of physical integrity and thermal insulation.
Prior art containers, including the foamed plastic containers, lack means for manipulating and advancing the food from the container while it is being consumed.